52nd British Academy Film Awards
The 52nd British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs, took place on 11 April 1999 at the Business Design Centre in London, honouring the best national and foreign films of 1998. Presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, accolades were handed out for the best feature-length film and documentaries of any nationality that were screened at British cinemas in 1998.
| 52nd British Academy Film Awards | |
|---|---|
| Date | 11 April 1999 |
| Site | Business Design Centre |
| Hosted by | Jonathan Ross |
| Highlights | |
| Best Film | Shakespeare in Love |
| Best British Film | Elizabeth |
| Best Actor | Roberto Benigni Life Is Beautiful |
| Best Actress | Cate Blanchett Elizabeth |
| Most awards | Elizabeth (5) |
| Most nominations | Shakespeare in Love (15) |
Shakespeare in Love won the award for Best Film (and previously won the Academy Award for Best Picture) and three other awards. Elizabeth was voted Outstanding British Film. Both Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench won awards for their portrayals of Queen Elizabeth I, while Geoffrey Rush won the award for Best Supporting Actor. Italian actor Roberto Benigni won the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Life Is Beautiful; he previously won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Peter Weir, director of The Truman Show, won for his direction.
The nominations were announced on 1 March 1999 and the ceremony was hosted by Jonathan Ross. Elizabethan films received an overall total of twenty-eight nominations, winning nine.